Pharmacological Effects of the Main Active Components in Curcumae Rhizoma: A Review

Curcumae Rhizoma (CR), known as Ezhu in China, is the dried rhizome of Curcuma phaeocaulis VaL, Curcuma kwangsiensis S. G. Lee et C. F. Liang, or Curcuma wenyujin Y. H. Chen et C. Ling, as defined by the 2020 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, CR primarily promotes qi to break blood stasis, thereby eliminating accumulation and relieving pain, which accounts for its extensive use in chronic cardiovascular disease, fibrosis, and gynecological conditions. Current evidence suggests that CR mainly consists of essential oils and curcumin, which exhibit significant biological activities, including antithrombotic, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, hepatoprotective, bacteriostatic, and other pharmacological activities. However, the specific pharmacological mechanisms of its bioactive ingredients remain unclear. Therefore, this review sought to summarize the pharmacokinetics and recent advances in pharmacological research of the main bioactive ingredients in CR, aiming to provide a research basis for its clinical application and new drug development.